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Bobby “Soxx” Petersen never lost his will to live. But early on in his illness he lost his music. And that may have been the most heartbreaking aspect of Bob’s fight with Lou Gehrig’s disease.

It was the music that enriched Bob and Teri’s lives during the last year and a half of his life. Support from volunteers at the Jeremy Wilson Foundation (JWF) and financial help from the Musicians Emergency Healthcare Fund kept Bob connected to his friends and his favorite music, as well as the material things that made his final months a little easier.

The technical name for Bob’s illness is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Its common name comes from revered first baseman Lou Gehrig, known as the Iron Horse for his strength and stamina, whose career was cut short by ALS.

Bob was diagnosed with ALS in early 2016. But Teri learned later that he had been struggling for months. A stellar guitarist with a lifelong love for the instrument, Bob had been able to play only the drums for months. The small muscles in his fingers were one of the first casualties of ALS.

Teri said, “It’s devastating, because it takes away control of your voluntary muscles – the ones that let you move, speak, swallow and breathe. Your senses and creativity remain, but they’re trapped inside.” To the end, Bob’s intelligence and humor showed through.

When Bob’s motor skills started to slide, so did the family’s income. Teri cut back on work to care for Bob, so even less money was coming in. And where they had once grown much of their own food, their gardening time grew limited, and they had to spend more money at the grocery store.

Jeremy Wilson and Bob had been friends from “the Satyricon days” and through eastside venues including the Laurelthirst, as members of Portland’s close-knit rock world. “It doesn’t matter how much time goes by,” Teri said, “they are all members of a big family.”

So it was a natural that Jeremy, JWF, and the entire community would step up. And as all recipients say, the gift of the foundation was more than just about money.

“I was able to get a small grant through the ALS Association, and it was helpful, but it didn’t mean as much as Jeremy’s help. Through JWF, we had the backing of an entire extended family. It was a godsend.

JWF paid for groceries, rent and basic supplies. Eventually they arranged for Bob to have a hospital bed and equipment to help him breathe easier as his muscles failed him.

Teri is grateful for the continued presence of Melanie Bobbett, a social worker who specializes in connecting people with long-term illnesses to public and private financial help. And one of the most important contributions was JWF’s help keeping people informed of what was happening.

“There were friends, collaborators and even family from across the country that we hadn’t seen in years. JWF volunteers spread the word – not only to get us financial assistance, but to make sure that people who wanted to spend some personal time with Bob had the chance,” Teri said.

Teri had to start scheduling visits because so many people wanted to talk, laugh and play music with Bob when he couldn’t leave the house.

“It was such a comfort to know that we could rely on Jeremy and the foundation. He would always call, even if it was just to check in.”

As the disease progressed, Bob had a desire to mix down some songs that he had been working on in the “Three Owls” home studio. He also wished to explore his thoughts about spirit, soul and afterlife with his fellow musician and good friend Kevin (Bingo) Richey. JWF arranged for Bingo to fly up from Southern California to help Bob compile the recordings while exploring the metaphysical questions that had become most important to him.

For Teri, “It was such a relief to us both, it was palpable.”

“The people who live in a world of art and music are different from most of us. Many people just clock in and out of a day job. For musicians like Bob, their occupation is also an all-encompassing love, the sum of their lives, all day, every day, awake and asleep.” It’s never about the money. But it is about friendship and love and commitment as much as it is about the notes they create.

The Jeremy Wilson Foundation and the Musicians Emergency Health Care Fund recognize the material sacrifices many musicians make to pursue their craft. They also build on that unique bond among musicians themselves and the community they have enriched with their gifts.

From his home in the Pacific Northwest, Scott McCaughey has contributed to some of the most important musical trends of the last 35 years. He has performed with some of the best-known names in alternative rock. And he has a huge network of fans and collaborators in Oregon and around the globe.

But none of that protected Scott and his wife, Mary Winzig, from the possibility of financial devastation when he got sick in November 2017. Insurance couldn’t come close to covering hospitalization for a nearly fatal stroke. Then followed months of rehabilitation and lost income.

One of the first things he was able to say on regaining consciousness in ICU after the stroke was, “No concerts, fundraisers, no GoFundMe sites.” But Mary told him it was already too late: The community had rallied instantly, and funds were accumulating, well before Scott left the hospital.

Help The Hoople Benefit for Scott McCaughey Night #1 Jan 5, 2018

Support culminated in two fundraising concerts within two months of Scott’s stroke — raising well over $100,000 to help with their expenses. One of the best parts was that Scott was able to play a few songs on bass onstage at the Star Theater benefit. “Seeing so many friends performing amazing music to help me out was just overwhelming to me.”

And his friends are a Who’s Who of rock: Mike Mills, Bill Berry and Peter Buck of REM; Alejandro Escovedo; Corin Tucker and Janet Weiss of Sleater-Kinney; James Mercer of the Shins; Chris Funk of the Decemberists, and many more from Portland and elsewhere.

Community members asked The Jeremy Wilson Foundation for help to hold an online fundraiser. Musicians from across the country offered prized items — like guitars donated and signed by Pearl Jam and Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, along with his cohorts Jay Farrar and Mike Heidorn of Uncle Tupelo. One of Scott’s rock ’n’ roll heroes, Ian Hunter of Mott The Hoople, contributed a harmonica!

The outpouring of contributions was organic — once people heard what happened, they donated what they could.

But what takes more deliberate action is handling the money: keeping track of the contributions, prioritizing bills and purchases, navigating out-of-pocket costs.

Help The Hoople Benefit for Scott McCaughey Night #2 Jan 6, 2018

And that’s where the foundation plays its most important role: taking care of the daily tasks that can seem

overwhelming during a time of illness and recovery. JWF let Scott concentrate on healing, and let Mary concentrate on Scott.

Here’s how the foundation works. They set up a trust fund for the musician. They arrange monthly payments for housing, utilities and groceries. They keep in touch with the family about out-of-pocket medical costs, unexpected expenses and other needs.

As Scott worked to regain his skills (the guitar muscle-memory came back relatively quickly, but the stroke wiped clean his memory for words), he wasn’t focusing on day-to-day tasks. He said he was basically kept unaware of all the things that Mary, Peter Buck and others did to inform the community, raise money and keep life on track.

Even now, when he is able to perform and tour again, he is happy to know that the foundation takes care of the things he can’t focus on. “I just throw the bills into a bag hanging on the doorknob. Once a month they find their way to the foundation,” which takes care of them.

Scott said, “The problem of musicians paying for health care has been obvious for such a long time. I’ve had so many friends who were ruined financially by a health care crisis.

“So, when Jeremy started this up, I was all for it and was glad to help. But I never thought it would come back to help me in this amazing way. It’s great to know the foundation is there, not just for me, but all my friends and other musicians who need it.”

For Jeremy, too, the foundation is just one big “will the circle be unbroken” experience.

Jeremy has abundant personal gratitude for Scott, who was Jeremy’s musical inspiration long before they met. He credits Scott with discovering Jeremy’s band Dharma Bums and producing their first album.

Because of the community’s enthusiastic response to a call for help, Jeremy said the foundation was able to do its best work — that is, respond to requests as soon as the bills start hitting. With so much grassroots fundraising, “I was able to have the bills paid within a few hours.”

Jeremy echoes the collective relief of the music community when he says, “We’re so blessed that Scott’s ok today, that he’s made a comeback like nobody I’ve ever seen.

“And the music is the magical doorway to his recovery. Practicing guitar-playing hand movements and recovering lyrics was his therapy — and apparently the best therapy there is.”

Jeremy said Scott is recovering in the same way he has lived the rest of his life: “He’s stunning us with his brilliance and his love.”

JWF Musicians Emergency Healthcare Fund

We never imagined the JWF would grow into the organization it is today. A recurring monthly donation of $10, $20 or whatever amount you can afford has the greatest impact on our foundation. Your generosity will help us take the next step towards our goal of establishing a 3-million-dollar endowment fund within the next few years. We hope you will make a one time or recurring donation today.

As part of the JWF 2018 End of Year Fundraising drive. Jeremy Wilson shares his story of how JWF Musicians Emergency Healthcare Fund came about.

We never imagined the JWF would grow into the organization it is today. A recurring monthly donation of $10, $20 or whatever amount you can afford has the greatest impact on our foundation. Your generosity will help us take the next step towards our goal of establishing a 3-million-dollar endowment fund within the next few years.

You can make a secure donation online right here

Your Support Makes Music!

Portland Oregon band The Resolectrics’ guitarist-vocalist Tate Peterson speaks on why music and art is so important to the community.
The Jeremy Wilson Foundation 2018 End of Year Fundraising Drive. Your support makes music at www.thejwf.org

Your Support Makes Music

You Support Makes Music

By Claire Levine

Before his 2007 diagnosis of Wolff- Parkinson-White syndrome – a congenital heart condition if left untreated, the abnormal heartbeat, arrhythmia, or tachycardia, can cause blood pressure, heart failure, and even death. Jeremy Wilson had spent months telling himself stories about why he was passing out.

He was doing too much. He was managing a band and performing and running a studio. He must be dehydrated. He just needed to slow down. Anybody would be exhausted, wouldn’t they?

But after he collapsed while waiting for his Pad Thai one night, the paramedics who picked him up from the Thai restaurant stripped him of any illusions. Even as he regained consciousness, he was worrying that he couldn’t afford a hospital stay. He protested, but the ambulance crew told him that he had a life-threatening heart condition, and they weren’t letting him go home.

Three days and $13,000 later, Jeremy left the hospital to sort out his life. That wasn’t easy, between the shock of his diagnosis and the depression-causing meds he was now taking.

Eventually, he confided in a friend about his illness, his medical debt, and his need for surgery. Jeremy’s important presence in Portland’s music scene and his big heart had made him well known and much admired in the music community. So, it was easy to rally the troops. A single impromptu fundraising event brought in close to $5,000.Tough lessons learned. Eventually, Jeremy was able to sign up for the Oregon Health Plan and get his much-needed surgery. He had a year of relief from both the medication and the heart problems before he needed to repeat the procedure. But by that time, Jeremy had a collection of lessons learned – lessons that apply particularly to professional musicians.

He knew that some of the worst things about illness are the feelings of helplessness and confusion.

He knew that dealing with finances can be overwhelming at any time, but particularly when you’re sick.

He learned that lack of money can seriously jeopardize your health if you aren’t able to get medical help.

And he knew that musicians all over the city – indeed all over the country – need some place to turn.

JWF begins. “Rather than recreating the wheel every time someone needs help, let’s create an ongoing organization that can help right away.” So was born the JWF Musician’s Emergency Healthcare Fund.

Jeremy envisioned a source that could step in right away with a conversation, reassurance and some cash. By the time the community starts its fundraising efforts, musicians and their families would have much-needed reassurance and help.

Jeremy saw many other needs: oversight for how funds are raised and distributed; providing tax deductions for contributions; and protecting musicians from higher income taxes or loss of income-related benefits.

Jeremy engaged his friends in the music community and (although he complained about having his name on it), they created the Jeremy Wilson Foundation.

Today’s JWF. JWF was started in 2010. Approaching its 10-year anniversary, it has raised money from thousands of contributors and distributed more than $400,000 in assistance grants to dozens of Portland and Clark County musicians. But in the minds of recipients, the cash is the least of what the foundation offers.

Every musician or spouse you talk to will say the same thing: the foundation brings peace of mind.JWF manages the money, making sure the important bills get paid so musicians can stay in their homes and keep food on the table. The foundation pays the bills directly to the vendor, so the family doesn’t have to keep track – and doesn’t risk adding taxable income.One JWF volunteer is a trained medical social worker. She helps musicians access other resources from governments and nonprofits that can supplement the foundation’s work.

JWF spreads the word – keeping friends and fans up to date on a musician’s health, progress or failure.Jeremy or a community volunteer will check in on the musician to learn what they need (a visit to the grocery store? Some good conversation? A hospital bed?), then finds a way to provide it.

In the next few weeks, you’ll read about the support the foundation gave to Scott McCaughey and his wife, Mary Winzig; the late Bobby Soxx Peterson and his wife, Teri Thomas Peterson; Pete Krebs; the late Lisa Miller and her husband, Michael Kinney.If you ask Jeremy, this is all about the music community and the kind of selfless people that make music their lives. If you ask others, it’s a lot about Jeremy. Even before he established a foundation, he had a huge network of caring friends because of his own caring nature. After he has donated countless hours starting and running the organization, Portland-area musicians have run out of accolades for Jeremy and his work.

But here’s the way we can all thank Jeremy – and help the musicians who bring so much passion, vitality and fun to this area.

DONATE: Visit thejwf.org to make a one-time donation or a monthly contribution

You can also sponsor a JWF event so that more of the money coming in the door goes directly to musicians.

And by attending a JWF event, you can help your favorite musician or make money available for the next musician who needs help and hear some of the best concerts you’ll ever go to.

Have a skill you’d like to share? Are you good with numbers? Good with words? Good with video-editing equipment? Do you have development expertise or know how to find sponsors? The all-volunteer team would welcome your help.

Are you an outgoing type who likes to meet, greet and even ask for donations? The foundation needs all type of help at its major fundraising events, like The Next Waltz.

Thanksgiving weekend launches an important period of giving. JFW is asking your help to support its end-of-year campaign, so it can expand the help it gives into 2019 and beyond

Jeremy said, “It’s hard to imagine the world without music.”

Giving to the foundation, he said, “supports the people who make the soundtracks of our lives.”

The Jeremy Wilson Foundation’s big fundraiser and musical tribute The Next Waltz starts it’s annual three show run Friday November 23rd at the Alberta Rose Theatre. To kick off the fundraising component. Glenn Rubin, who has attended all six previous years, will be matching the first $1500.00 in donations raised. Here’s what he wrote to JWF as to why he is donating and challenging others to as well:

When it comes to the Next Waltz shows, words almost fail me. Having been lucky enough to have experienced it every year from the first, I can honestly say it is always one of the high points of my year, not only musically, but emotionally. Not only because of the great artists and music of the original production, but the local sense of community and joy as the Portland production comes together each year. The fact that The Jeremy Wilson Foundation has tied this into such a vital need as emergency healthcare, is truly ‘icing on the cake’.

Music has been a spiritual and life-giving force to me throughout my life. As a very young child, I remember feeling some kind of groove as I watched and listened to steel drum calypso bands in the 50’s pre-reggae Jamaica. Later, even before my teen years, I spent hours picking out 45 RPM records from the likes of Little Richard, Fats Domino, and Link Wray. Fast forward to 1982, when I decided to move to Portland, one of the main reasons, beside the natural beauty of Oregon, was the exciting and varied music scene happening all over the city.

So it seems only right to do more than just buy tickets to concerts. To say the least, except for a very fortunate few, most musicians and their families are not knee deep in greenbacks. They often pursue their careers for the love of the music, spreading their artistic gifts to those of us consumers who don’t have that natural talent.

Having worked in the healthcare field for a good deal of my life, I’m especially aware of the importance of access to proper and timely medical resources. And in the current chaotic political and economic climate, that has become all but impossible for many of us. So all the more reason to applaud and support efforts like the Jeremy Wilson Foundation to provide healthcare and moral support to folks in our local music community.

Thanks, JWF, and everyone else involved, for such a wonderful and transcendent post-Thanksgiving celebration. Keep it going!

With much gratitude,

Glenn

WAYS TO DONATE

Make a one time donation

Or choose to make it recurring

From your smartphone or computer

using your credit card at

www.thejwf.org

In person at the volunteer booth

Cash/Check/Visa

Mail checks or money orders made to

Jeremy Wilson Foundation

1028 SE Water Ave STE 230

Portland, OR 97214

SHOP & SUPPORT

If you shop Amazon through www.smile.amazon.com/ch/80-0605662the AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to JWF (look into the AmazonSmile program and link JWF as your charity.)

You are now able to link your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to your favorite nonprofit. Go to www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewardsand re-enroll or enrolland enter the Fred Meyer Code for JWF = EJ028

YOU CAN HELP Jeremy Wilson Foundation EARN DONATIONS JUST BY SHOPPING WITH YOUR FRED MEYER REWARDS CARD! Fred Meyer donates over $2 million per year to non-profits in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, based on where their customers tell them to give. Here’s how the program works:

Sign up for the Community Rewards program by linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to the Jeremy Wilson Foundation at www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. You can search for us by our name or by our non-profit number EJ028.

Then, every time you shop and use your Rewards Card, you are helping the Jeremy Wilson Foundation earn a donation!

You still earn your Rewards Points, Fuel Points, and Rebates, just as you do today.

If you do not have a Rewards Card, they are available at the Customer Service desk of any Fred Meyer store.

This year for the first time the Major Sponsor level of $1500.00 will be included in our multimedia and online Winter Fundraising drive as a Matching Donor Challenge. The winter fundraising drive kicks off at The Next Waltz Nov 23, 24 and 25. Then goes online Nov 27 for Giving Tuesday. The drive will run until midnight December 31st. Our goal is to raise $50,000.00!

Please join us as a sponsor and/or volunteer promoter. Contact us at info@thejwf.org and let us know you want to participate. Your support makes music! DEADLINE TO SIGN UP TO BE A SPONSOR IS NOVEMBER 13

THE NEXT WALTZ 2018 – SPONSOR PACKET

November Fri 23rd, Sat 24th, Sun 25th at The Alberta Rose Theatre Portland, Or An All-Star lineup of Portland musicians sing and play the music from The Band’s classic concert, movie and album and has become a meaningful local holiday tradition for many. A portion of the concert proceeds benefit the Jeremy Wilson Foundation, but All sponsorship proceeds go 100% to support the mission of The Jeremy Wilson Foundation.

Major Sponsor – $1500.00

Your company logo featured PROMINENTLY in The Next Waltz Program given FREE to all 1200 attendees.

Your donation amount and logo to be included in our matching media campaign through Dec 31, 2018

Your logo featured PROMINENTLY on a 5’x2’ banner thanking our sponsors and hung in the lobby of the Alberta Rose Theatre where everyone will see it.